Harmanpreet Kaur and Amelia Kerr took pressure off meNat Sciver-Brunt after guiding MI to WPL 2023 title

By India Today Sports DeskNat Sciver-Brunt played a match-winning knock of 60* to guide Mumbai Indians to become the first Women’s Premier League (WPL) champions.

What looked like a one-sided final between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, went into the final over. The Capitals fought hard to lift themselves from 79/9 to 131/9. However, the total was not enough against Sciver-Brunt.

The England all-rounder Sciver-Brunt, who became the joint second-highest expensive player in the WPL, formed a crucial partnership with her Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur as DC were building dot-ball pressure. Harmanpreet’s run out in the 17th over gave DC a chance to make a comeback. However, incoming Amelia Kerr shrugged pressure off Sciver-Brunt, who eventually hit the winning boundary.

After the victory, Sciver-Brunt said that she trusted herself to finish off the match and heaped praise on Harmanpreet and Amelia for sticking with her in the middle.

“I was finding it quite tough and Harman was sweeping her way to a good total so she took the pressure off me, and Amelia did as well when she came in. I knew if I was there at the end, we’d be able to get over the line,” said Sciver-Brunt.

“I am glad I was able to stick it out when the pressure was on and to be there at the end was really special.”

The English star further said that Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav’s 10th-wicket partnership made the summit clash “interesting”. When DC were at 79/9, Pandey and Yadav astonished everyone with their hitting. The duo added 52 runs in just 24 balls.

“The last three or four overs, we came away a few too many boundaries than we would have liked. That made the game interesting, and it was a winning total in the end,” said Sciver-Brunt.

Sciver-Brunt also admitted that she was not sure what to expect from the tournament at the start, but highlighted that standing with Mumbai Indians on the podium was “special”.

“It means everything. At the start of the competition, I didn’t really know what to expect and to come together with a very special group of girls at the Mumbai Indians, it is really special to be standing here,” said Sciver-Brunt.